Markets react to rising China trade tensions

Core Insights - The financial sector is showing strong performance, particularly with the "Finn Five" banks delivering historic earnings, indicating resilience in the market despite broader trade tensions [2][5][6] - Morgan Stanley reported a significant increase in trading revenues, up 35%, which reflects the benefits from economic uncertainty and suggests continued strong performance from banks [7][8] - The overall guidance from major banks indicates higher net interest income and margins, with expectations for continued growth into 2026 [9][10] Financial Sector Performance - The earnings reports from major banks like JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley did not show significant price declines post-earnings, indicating market stability [4][5] - Morgan Stanley's return on tangible common equity (RoTCE) reached 24%, outperforming competitors and highlighting strong operational performance [11] - The financial sector is benefiting from consumer resilience, with strong earnings across various business lines, including wealth management and trading [13][14] Market Dynamics - There is a notable amount of cash on the sidelines, approximately $7 trillion in money market funds, which could fuel further market rallies [24] - The current market sentiment is bullish, with expectations for continued performance chasing among portfolio managers, as only 30% are beating their benchmarks [25] - Small caps are seen as a catch-up trade, with potential for outperformance as financial conditions loosen and the Fed adopts a dovish stance [26][28][29]